Rotary internal combustion engine



Jan- 22, 1953 R. c. GESCHWENDER 3,074,337

ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed May 1'7, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 1Jan. 22, 1963 R. c. GESCHWENDER 3,074,387

ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed May 17, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2Jan. 22, 1963 R. c. Gr-:scHwENDl-:R 3,074,387

ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed May 17, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 53,074,387 Patented Jan. 22, 1963 3,074,387 ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTINENGINE Robert C. Geschwender, Lincoln, Nebr., assigner te LancasterResearch and Development Corporation, Linceln, Nebr., a corporation ofNebraska Filed May 17, 1961, Ser. No. 110,735 11 Claims. (Cl. 123-16)This invention relates to rotary internal combustion engines, and morespecically to engines of this type in which all piston-forming elementshave a fixed angular relationship.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision ofan internal combustion engine of the rotary type in which the pistonsare `carried in fixed angular relationship to one another upon a singlerotor, and in which reciprocating sliding vanes which are pistoncomponents have their reciprocating movements accurately and positivelycontrolled by positive-drive linkages, and more particularly byso-called slider-crank linkages driven by planetary gear trains, wherebya substantial amount of sliding friction is avoided; and the provisionof an engine of this class which is comparatively simple to construct,and efficient and reliable in operation. Other objects and 4featureswill be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations ofelements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which willbe exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope ofwhich will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possibleembodiments of the invention is illustrated,

FIG. 1 is an end view of the engine, with parts broken away to showvarious features in diiferent fragmentary cross sections;

FIG. 2 is an axial section taken on line 2 2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view in isometric form, showing a rotor, its endplates, one vane therefor, and one planetary gear;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a blocking rotor; and

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are cross sections taken on lines 5 5, 6 6 and 7 7,respectively, of FIG. 2.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding partsthroughout the several views of the drawings.

Details of various running seal means are not elaborated herein becausethey Will be of appropriate springpressed varieties known to the art.For convenience in identification they are arbitrarily illustrated bystippling.

In the isometric views (FIGS. 3 and 4), several teeth only are shown onthe several gears illustrated. It will be understood from the remainingdrawings that each of these gears has teeth throughout its periphery andthat the single planetary gear shown is illustrative of twelve of theSame actually used.

The term oval will hereinafter be used ygenerically to designate abisymmetrical form like, or identical with, an ellipse, havingcomparatively long and short axes.

Briey, the engine comprises a casing forming an inner chamber in whichis located a circular main rotor carrying radially slidable vanes, theouter margins of which (except as to certain sealing parts) follow (butare not directly constrained by) the chamber form. The arrangement issuch as to provide expansible chambers for carrying out intake,compression, explosion and exhaust events of a four-cycleenergy-conversion process. The slidable vanes lare reciprocated bypositive-drive, socalled slider-crank mechanisms having the usualadvantages of pin-type linkages. Each slider-crank mechanism is drivenby a planetary gear means meshed with coaxial sun gear means affixed tothe casing. An auxiliary blocking member cooperates tangentially withthe main rotor for the purpose of `dividing intake and exhaust spaces.This blocking member is preferably in the form of a rotor driven by agear attached to the main rotor and meshing with a pinion which drivesthe blocking rotor.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. l-3, there isshown at numeral 1 a casing consisting of a central ring 3, the insideof which has an oval contour 5 of bisymmetrical shape on perpendicularshort and long axes X-X and Y Y. At 7 and 9 are shown intake and exhaustpockets, respectively. These pockets 7 and 9 are narrower in an axialdirection than the width of the surface 5 of ring 3. The ring 3 isflanked by attached end plates 11 and 13, respectively. These provideannular end pockets 15 and 17, surrounding central bearings 19 and 21 ofplates 11 and 13, respectively.

At numeral 23 (FIG. 3) is shown a circnlarly symmetrical rotor mountedupon a power shaft 25, the latter being supported in the bearings 19 and21. It, with the oval form of surface 5 establishes two oppositecrescentshaped spaces extending across the long axis Y Y joined bysmaller spaces extending across the short axis X-X. The rotor has sixradial slots 27 located at 60 intervals, each slot being for thereception of a slidable T-shaped vane 29. The width of the uppercross-over portion 31 of each vane 29 equals the rotor width. Oppositesides of the rotor 23 contain recesses 33. Stem portions 35 of theT-shaped vanes 29 have widths equal to the rotor Width between thebottoms of the rotor recesses 33. Seals 37 in the rotor 23 engageopposite -faces of the vanes 29. Gudgeon pins 39, which extend from theopposite sides of the stem 35 of each vane 29, are located for movementsin the opposite recesses 33.

Bolted to the right side of the rotor 23 (FIGS. 1-3) is `a circularplate 41 in which is au opening 43 surrounding bearing 21. This ring 41contains an inside pocket 45 for the reception Vof six gudgeons 47extending toward the rotor 23.

Bolted to the left side of the rotor 23 is another ring 49 which alsocontains a pocket 45', like pocket 45 in ring 41 (see FIG. 2). Ring 49also carries a set of six gudgeons 47', coaxial with the gudgeons 47 inplate 41. On each of the gudgeons `47, 47 is a rotary planetary gear 51.These mesh with and roll around fixed sun gears 53. The sun gears 53 arecoaxially positioned around bearings 19 and 21 of the casing 1. Eachplanetary gear 51 carries a gudgeon pin 55. The gears 51 are so phasedthat the gudgeon pins 55 are coaxial by pairs in the opposite spaces 33.At numerals 57 are shown connecting links, each of which connects onepair of gudgeon pins 39 and 55.

When the rings 41 and 49 are attached to the rotor and the resultingassembly located in the casing 1, the

with respect to the circular portions of the pockets 15 and outermargins of the rings 11 and 13 have running ts/ 17, respectively.Attachment is made by bolts such as 2 (FIG. 2) passing through holessuch as 4 and threaded into holes 6 in the rotor (see also FIG. 3). Ringseals 59 are provided in suitable grooves in the rings on plates 41 and49 to resist leakage at these running fits. lIt will be noted from FIG.2 that the inner faces of the rings `49 and 41 are ush with the innerfaces of the plates 11 and 13, respectively, to produce sidewisecoplanar surfaces for running cooperation with the opposite at ends ofthe T-heads 31 of the vanes 29.

Sealing strips 61 arerprovidedingrooves along the sides and outermargins of the T-heads 31 of vanes ,279. lIt will be apparent that theouter strips ofthe sealing stripsA 61 ,cannot escape Yfrom their .vanes29i1:i passing over the in- Qake .exhaust pockets 7 and 9 because thelatter are narrower in anfaxial direction than the width of surfaceSadnarrower, thanithewfidthsof the T-,head portions 31.

f'lnviewof the above, it will be seenthat upon turning of the rotor`23,the planetary gears 51 mesh with and roll around the sun gears 53, ytoreciprocate -the vanes 29 intherotor'laf Reciprocation ,occurs ,by meansof the slide ,mechanisms constituted by Ithe gudgeon pins .55 Von .gears.5 1acting asv cranksthe vanes V29 .Withtheirgudgeon pins n39 acting Vassliders'andlthe'links 57 lacting as con- `necting links betweenthegudg'eon pins of the cranks and sliders. It this sensethat the termslider-crank mechanism is .used-herein' as defining .',the means forcoupling ,the gear`s 11'and thevanes 29, in order to reciprocate vthelatter. The-numbers of l.teeth-'selected 'for theplanetary gears v5,1and' the sun'ge'ars 53 vare vin the ratio. of l':2 (24 and 48lteeth,respectively). Therefore, veach 'planetary gear 5 1 drivesits'respective vane 29 'inward and outward twice jper revolution. "I 'he,resulting oval trajectory of the'outer'margin' off each vane definesthe shape along Ywhich thejinner surface i5l ofthe ring ismachined witha slight-clearance'. ACentrifugalforce does not force 4the outer margins.of the vanesinto ,engagement with the Slightly claringcvaljinner 'facei5 of member 3. Only the outerfpacking strips 61 are s oforcedtoclosethe gaps duej'foclearance. The oval formsof the'face 5 andVtra- .iectories of the outer vane margins are ,in the inature of@Sew-coincident ellpses- The result ziS a wnstruction by .nrmansA .fwhich comparatively small Spares arelfQrmed between :the eval insideofthe ring 3 andthe circular rotor 123 at' oppQsite ends o f A.the smallvtfll 1 1 ter of the oval;'andlcmparatvelylareef'spaces at oppositeends' of 'theilarge perpendicular diameter o f the oval.

I'he'ileft-hand fing "49 iS .constructed with @integrated ,gear 63 whichmeshes with a pinion 65 attached ,to a

in a cylindrical-portion69boredout inthe lower portion 'o'f '3. Atti andL10 itisfnecked down to fitinholes ,12, andlft o f rings11-and"13,'respectively Packing rings 1;6 and v1'8 are-employed in necks8 and 10, respectively.

"former vbeing' carried in Ya lbearing'inla coverfp1ate'75'-boltedtoplate *'11,- and -th'e"la"tter in afbearing` in plate i173.'Ihe upper part of the cylindrical portion 69 inring 3 is open."LE,Flankingportions 79 are shaped to coincide with -'the inner-ovalYform 5. Thus anupper -part 81 of the Vcylinder 67 extends out acrossthe small space 83 into t instance with vthe passage of a cooperatinggroove 85. j'llerefore,'regardless ofthe rotor position, the `intakepocket? will always Ybe separatedtrom the exhaustpocket 9, either by facondition of-tangency`between the cylindrical faces between the mainrotor 23 and auxiliary rotor 67, or by the position of a passing vaneend in a passing groove S5.

As will be noted from FIG. 1, an intake port 87 communicates with theintake pocket 7, and an exhaust port 89 communicates with the exhaustpocket 9. It is assumed that a suitable carburetor system is connectedwith the intake 87, to carburet air with fuel such as a mixture ofgasoline and air. It is also assumed that suitable exhaust and muierconnections are made with the exhaust port i89. At numeral 91 s shown asuitable ignition device such as, for example, a continuously operatingelectrical glow plug.

Operation is as follows:

As the rotor turns, the planetary gears 51 roll onfthe sun gears 53,thus causing the slider-crank linkages constit-uted by gudgeons 55, 39and connecting links 57 to reciprocate the vanes 29 in the rotor as itturns. This sweeps the vanes through the various spacings between therotor 23 and the inner oval form 5` of ring 3.

A suction event develops during an angular vane -movement A of a givenvane, drawing in combustible :fuel through v port 87, port 87 ybeingsealed ol fronrthe exhaust port -89 by the intervening auxiliaryblocking rotor 67. A compression event occurs during an angular vanemovement B of the same vane and continues ,until the compressionpressure becomes ya maximum, at which Y time the lglow plug 91 becomesexposed by .-said V given v.During this movement the leading .vane withface gb has an increasing area over that of -the adjacent 'following.vane face b until face b' passes the Y-Y.exi s. After this thediierencediminishes and becomes equalas `YI7' passes point 93. Thus.upon gas expansion there; QCCurs a net clockwise `driving torque uponthe rotor. EIheex- -Apansion and torque eventsV continue until a charge,be- ,tween surfaces such as b and b' becomes exposed `to the fexhaustport, as .illustrated at thelower in EIG. 1. 'Such .exposure .firstoccurs wheneter .Said given-vage crosses the point 93. Y

In short, a suction event Astarts -when a leading .vane crosses point95. A succeeding compression eventoccurs after the next trailing vanecrosses this same ,point .95. Compression Y.then Vfollows until thetirst-nameld ,leading Vvane arrives atpoint 97, at ,which location itssucceeding trailing vane is symmetrically positioned with respectto theshort axis of theovalon the vertical center line ,X4-X. After that,expansion occurs Vbetween the adjacent vanes until the leading .vanereaches point 9 3. After this, the

Astated exhaust event occurs.

,pair of vanes operating in theangular range C.

From the above it will be seen that, -since, there is.,a positivecontrolof the reciprocations ofthe vanes by the Yslider-crank mechanisms,centrifugal force is prevented ,from drivingthe outermarginsofthevanesinto forcible sliding contact-withthe innersnrface k5rof ,theqing 'Only the sealing means inthe vane slots are subject tosuch forces. Since the weights of these are considerably less than thetotal weights of the vanes, only a small amount of rubbing friction isencountered between the seals and the surface 5.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

claim:

l. A rotary engine comprising a radially slotted main rotor assembly,slidable vanes in the slots, tixed sun `gear means, planetary gear meansmounted on the rotor assembly and meshing with the fixed sun gear means,a slider-crank means connecting each planetary gear with a vane to bereciprocated thereby to move the margins of the vanes in a predeterminedtrajectory, a casing surrounding the rotor and the vanes and having aninner surface formed along said trajectory, said casing having intakeand exhaust ports, a blocking means in the casing located tangently tothe rotor and separating the intake port from the exhaust port, theshape of said trajectory being such as to produce upon rotation of therotor in the casing expanding and contracting spaces between the casing,rotor and pairs of vanes, the number of vanes and gear-driven slidercrank assemblies being six and the tooth ration between each planetarygear means and the sun gear means being 1:2, whereby said trajectory isof oval form, said blocking means being in the form of an auxiliaryrotor located on a short axis of said oval form between the intake andexhaust ports which are located on opposite sides of said axis, theauxiliary rotor having a surface operating tangently to the outersurface of the main rotor and being gear-driven therefrom, saidauxiliary rotor including slot means adapted to pass margins of thevanes moving with the main rotor.

2. A rotary engine according to claim l, wherein the tooth ratio in thegear drive between the rotors, and the number of slots in the auxiliaryrotor, are such that passage of each successive vane margins past theauxiliary rotor is accommodated.

3. A rotary engine according to claim 1, wherein said slot meansconsists of a pair of opposite slots and the gear drive from the mainrotor consists of a gear on the main rotor and a meshed gear on theauxiliary rotor, the tooth ratio of the former to the latter being 3:1.

4. A rotary engine comprising a casing of inside bisymmetrical ovalshape, said shape having intersecting long and short axes, a main rotorin the casing symmetrically formed for opposed small spacings withrespect to said oval shape on the short axis and for opposed largerspacings on the long axis, an auxiliary rotor carried near one end ofthe short axis and extending across the adjacent close spacing intotangent relationship with the main rotor, intake and exhaust pocketscommunicating with the outside of the casing on opposite sides of saidauxiliary rotor, sun gear means surrounding the intersection of saidaxes and attached to the casing, a number of planetary gear meansrotatably mounted upon the main rotor and meshing with said sun gearmeans respectively, a number of substantially radially slidable vanes inthe main rotor equal in number to said number of planetary gear means,slider-crank means connecting each planetary gear means with a vane toreciprocate the same for controlled positive motion of its end in anoval trajectory closely paralleling the inside oval shape of the casing,a gear drive connecting the main and auxiliary rotors consisting of adrive gear connected with the main rotor meshed with a driven gear onthe auxiliary rotor, said auxiliary rotor being provided with a numberof recesses adapted to pass vane ends during their movements past saidauxiliary rotor.

5. A rotary engine comprising a casing of inside bisymmetrical ovalshape, said shape having intersecting long and short axes, a circularmain rotor in the casing closely spaced with respect to said oval shapeat two points on the short axis and less closely spaced at two points onthe long axis, a circular auxiliary rotor carried by the' casing on saidshort axis and extending across one of the two close spacings and intotangent relationship to the main rotor, intake and exhaust pocketscommunicating with the outside of the casing on opposite sides of saidauxiliary rotor, sun gear means surrounding the intersection of saidaxes and attached to the casing, several planetary gear means rotatablymounted upon the main rotor and meshing with said sun gear means, anumber of radially slidable vanes in the main rotor equal in number tothe number of planetary gear means, slider-crank means connecting eachplanetary gear means with a vane to reciprocate the same for controlledpositive motion of its end in an oval trajectory closely paralleling theoval inside shape of the casing, a gear drive connecting the main andauxiliary rotors consisting of a drive gear on the main rotor meshedwith a driven gear on the auxiliary rotor, said auxiliary rotor beingprovided with a number of recesses adapted to pass vane ends duringtheir movements past said auxiliary rotor.

6. A rotary engine according to claim 5, wherein the number of connectedvanes and planetary gear means is six and the tooth ratio between eachplanetary gear means and the sun gear means is 1:2.

7. A rotary engine according to claim 6, wherein the number of recessesin said auxiliary rotor is two, and wherein the tooth ratio of the drivegear on the main rotor to the driven gear on the auxiliary rotor is 3:1.

8. A rotary engine according to claim 5, including ignition meanslocated in the casing at a part of the oval shape adjacent said shortaxis.

9. A rotary engine according to claim 5, including ignition meanslocated in the casing at a part of the oval shape adjacent said shortaxis and on its side corresponding to the side on which the exhaustpocket is located with respect thereto.

10. A rotary engine comprising a casing of bisymmetrical oval interiorshape having perpendicular short and long axes, a substantially circularmain rotor therein forming therewith two crescent-shaped spaces onopposite sides of the short axis, said crescent shapes joining oneanother through narrow spaces extending across said short axis, anauxiliary blocking rotor on the short axis in tangent relation with themain rotor and blocking one of said narrow spaces, reciprocating vanesin the main rotor, driving mechanisms for said vanes, planetary gearmeans adapted to actuate said driving mechanisms upon main rotorrotation to reciprocate the vanes to sweep through said spaces, at leastone slot in the auxiliary rotor adapted to pass vane ends during mainrotor movements, an intake pocket connecting with one end of onecrescent shape adjacent one side of the auxiliary rotor, an exhaustpocket connecting with the adjacent end of the other crescent shape onthe other side of the auxiliary rotor, and ring means in the casingconnected adjacent to the opposite end of the last-named crescent shapeand on that side of the short axis upon which said exhaust pocket islocated.

ll. A rotary engine comprising a radially slotted main rotor havingaxially opposite recesses containing pairs of coaxially aligned gearpins supporting pairs of planetary gears, the latter carrying coaxiallyaligned drive pins, a slidable vane in each slot having opposite coaxialdriven pins, a margin of each vane extending from said rotor, pairs ofconnecting links articulating said pairs of driving and driven pins, anauxiliary rotor carrying a driven gear and having slot means therein, adrive gear on the main rotor meshed with said driven gear on theauxiliary Y auxiliary rotor margins of vanes which successively passrotor,` said gears being adapted vto coordinate movements of sun gearsaixed to said'rcasing vand meshing with reof the rotors to accommodatein the slot means yof lthe speetive members of said pairs of planetarygears.

said vauxiliary rotor, a casing Vsupporting said auxiliary ReferencesCited m the me O-f 'thls pa ent rotor -and siirrounding said main rotor,said casing -havf5 UNITED STATES PATENTS ing an inside oval shape inAthe plane of movements of 2,302,254 Rhine Nov. 17, 1942 saidslidable-vanes, said main rotor and said casing hav- 2,612,879 HibbardOct. 7, 1952 ing -closely'tting circular shapes anking the portions ofthe main rotor in which said Varies reciprocate Aand a pair FOREIGNPATENTS i L i

1. A ROTARY ENGINE COMPRISING A RADIALLY SLOTTED MAIN ROTOR ASSEMBLY,SLIDABLE VANES IN THE SLOTS, FIXED SUN GEAR MEANS, PLANETARY GEAR MEANSMOUNTED ON THE ROTOR ASSEMBLY AND MESHING WITH THE FIXED SUN GEAR MEANS,A SLIDER-CRANK MEANS CONNECTING EACH PLANETARY GEAR WITH A VANE TO BERECIPROCATED THEREBY TO MOVE THE MARGINS OF THE VANES IN A PREDETERMINEDTRAJECTORY, A CASING SURROUNDING THE ROTOR AND THE VANES AND HAVING ANINNER SURFACE FORMED ALONG SAID TRAJECTORY, SAID CASING HAVING INTAKEAND EXHAUST PORTS, A BLOCKING MEANS IN THE CASING LOCATED TANGENTLY TOTHE ROTOR AND SEPARATING THE INTAKE PORT FROM THE EXHAUST PORT, THESHAPE OF SAID TRAJECTORY BEING SUCH AS TO PRODUCE UPON ROTATION OF THEROTOR IN THE CASING EXPANDING AND CONTRACTING SPACES BETWEEN THE CASING,ROTOR AND PAIRS OF VANES, THE NUMBER OF VANES AND GEAR-DRIVEN SLIDERCRANK ASSEMBLIES BEING SIX AND THE TOOTH RATION BETWEEN EACH PLANETARYGEAR MEANS AND THE SUN GEAR MEANS BEING 1:2, WHEREBY SAID TRAJECTORY ISOF OVAL FORM, SAID BLOCKING MEANS BEING IN THE FORM OF AN AUXILIARYROTOR LOCATED ON A SHORT AXIS OF SAID OVAL FORM BETWEEN THE INTAKE ANDEXHAUST PORTS WHICH ARE LOCATED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID AXIS, THEAUXILIARY ROTOR HAVING A SURFACE OPERATING TANGENTLY TO THE OUTERSURFACE OF THE MAIN ROTOR AND BEING GEAR-DRIVEN THEREFROM, SAIDAUXILIARY ROTOR INCLUDING SLOT MEANS ADAPTED TO PASS MARGINS OF THEVANES MOVING WITH THE MAIN ROTOR.